RELIGIOUS FANATICIS — PART 11
ITS CURE: TAKE "ERROR" OUT OF RELIGION

When someone, in his ego, believes that he has become something, he is
caught in his error, like a parrot in a trap. (sggs 255).
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God is Love. The spirit of Love is the religion. Therefore, religion is also
Love. There are many man-made religious systems in the world which are valid
and equally effective; because they were created to propagate the spirit of
Universal Love. This eternal principle, this all-embracing truth, this noble
attitude, this sense of duty to the Universe, and this state of Pure Consciousness
is the unity that underlies all religions. In that sense, there is only one
religion! This lead to the following question: then why there is so much hatred
and intolerance in the world? In spite of the so many religions, where did the
"Love" go?

At the present, all man-made religions are mixture of truth and error. The
source of truth is the infallible words of Prophets or Spiritual Masters who
were Self-realized Beings, and spoke from the heights of their Spiritual experiences.
Hence, the Truth is Divine. However, the error is man-made. It is this human
error — manifestation of man's egoism or false self — in religions that has
created havoc on earth. All are caught in this fire.

ਜਜਾ ਜਾਨੈ ਹਉ ਕਛੁ ਹੂਆ ॥ ਬਾਧਿਓ ਜਿਉ ਨਲਿਨੀ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਸੂਆ ॥: Jajaa jaanai ho kashu hooaa. Baadhio jiu nalinee bhrami sooaa:
Jajjaa: When someone, in his ego, believes that he has become something, he
is caught in his error, like a parrot in a trap (sggs 255).

All prophets or masters were the messengers of but One God. So they all spoke
of the same One Truth — the Eternal Principle, the Homogeneous Oneness. Therefore,
all religious texts (SGGS, Vedas, Bible, Quran, Avestaa, etc.) are sacred; for
they contain the essence of Self-knowledge (Aatam Giaan, Wisdom). They all point to the
same One Truth (also called God...). Thus, in reality, the scriptures serve as
beacon lights for all.

Although the Truth is One, but Spiritual Beings call the same by different
names such as Waheguru, Raam, Allah, Ahuramazdaa, Jehovah and Parmaatam. That
Truth is the true structure of all beings; meaning we all are the embodiment,
emanation or the manifestation of the same One Light. Therefore, Truth is neither
Sikh, nor Hindu, nor Muslim, nor Christian, nor Buddhists, and so on. The followers
of the religion of Truth (the Gurmukhs) walk on the path of Spiritual Life — Love, Light, Wisdom,
Knowledge, Oneness, Spiritual Beauty and Power.

Since many religion were born in prehistoric times, there are no authentic
documents written by the Masters themselves. In reality, none of the Masters
thought of founding a separate religion. Because there cannot be any concept
of separateness (duality) in a True Master! That is to say, if someone entertains
the notion of separateness, he cannot be a Master. Also, the Masters, ancient
or modern, do not make any new discovery — they just proclaim the same Ancient,
One Truth. Thus, they appear among men to reform who had been misguided
and hence taken to the path of materialism. Then they leave hoping people will
live by their Divine Teachings.

The trouble begins after they depart the scene; leaving the work to
followers who generally make a mess of it! They turn the master's work into
a separate organized religion, which, with the passing of time, turns into a
complicated mixture of Spiritual precepts and material practices. This is where
the human error — introduction of complex adherents and antagonists, or simply
nonessentials — enters into religions. These nonessentials generally consist
of unmeaning rituals, ceremonies, paths, traditions, rules, creeds,
dogmas, religious robes, symbols, frightening and stupid concepts of God, pilgrimages,
stubborn intellect, fanaticism and fundamentalism; creating fake fear of hell
and death and expectation of far-off heavens. With the passage of time,
thus, people lose the real meaning as well as the purpose and function of the
words of their Prophets or Masters. Thus, although the man-made
religious systems often start good but later turn into a mess when they fall
in the hands of selfish and ignorant disciples who want name and gain.

ਪਉੜੀ ॥ ਸਚਾ ਅਲਖ ਅਭੇਉ ਹਠਿ ਨ ਪਤੀਜਈ ॥ ਇਕਿ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਰਾਗ ਪਰੀਆ ਰਾਗਿ ਨ ਭੀਜਈ ॥ ਇਕਿ ਨਚਿ ਨਚਿ ਪੂਰਹਿ ਤਾਲ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਕੀਜਈ ॥ ਇਕਿ ਅੰਨੁ ਨ ਖਾਹਿ ਮੂਰਖ ਤਿਨਾ ਕਿਆ ਕੀਜਈ ॥ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਹੋਈ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਕਿਵੈ ਨ ਧੀਜਈ ॥ ਕਰਮ ਵਧਹਿ ਕੈ ਲੋਅ ਖਪਿ ਮਰੀਜਈ ॥ ਲਾਹਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪੀਜਈ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਭਗਤੀ ਅਸਨੇਹਿ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਘੀਜਈ ॥੧੭॥: Pourree || Sachaa
alakh abheou hathi n pateejaee ...: Pourree. The True, Unseen, Mysterious (God)
is not won over by stubbornness. Some sing according to traditional Raag, but the Lord is not pleased by these Raag. Some dance and dance in perfect beat, but this is not the way of worship (either). Some refuse to eat; (tell me) what can
be done with these fools? (i.e., how can it be explained to them that the Truth is not realized like this, etc.). By such acts, their thirst (desires) greatly increase;
(consequently) nothing (done in stubbornness) can bring them satisfaction. Somany are tied down by rituals;
they hassle themselves to death. In this world, the true profit (ਨਾਮ ਹੀ ਖੱਟੀ) comes by drinking in the Amrit Naam, Name of the Lord. By becoming the Gurmukh, (one) attains (the Bliss of) Bhagti (devotion) of the Lord ||17|| (sggs 1285).

On account of the element of Divine "Truth" in religions, the fundamentals
and essentials of all religions are the same. The apparent differences are because
of the element of human "error" consisting of nonessentials introduced
by the followers due to nonapprehension, misunderstanding, misconception, misconstruction
or reconstruction of the long-forgotten One Truth taught to them by the masters.
And the reason behind their nonapprehension, misunderstanding, misconception,
misconstruction or reconstruction of the truth is their selfishness, corrupt
consciousness, prejudices, bigotry, foolishness, ignorance, impurity of mind
and intellect — lust, greed, anger, sensual attachment, self-conceit, envy,
and stubbornness.

Thus, due to the element of human "error", religion becomes dogmatic
and sectarian. Such religion divides people. It only gives priority and importance
to worshiping prophet, religious text and dogmas over everything else. Consequently,
very few ever build their character upon the foundation of True Love. Because
the majority of us do not pause to make distinction between the essentials and
nonessentials in religion. Pure Love is the ultimate goal of religion, thus
essential. On the other hand, the elements introduced by the human error are
not the religious goal, thus nonessential. However, in fanaticism (ignorance),
nonessentials are carried to the point that it gives the impression that they
are an end in themselves! Consequently, those who practice religion with Intuitive
Wisdom are very few and far in between, while the rest of us (over 99.9 percent)
practice it with only sense-blind mind (or ego illusion).

As a result, many preach Sikhism without giving up evil passions, and without
practicing meditation on the Divine Name ("Naam Jap"), earning
honest living ("Kirat Kamaaee"), sharing with others ("Vand
Shaknaa") and seeing One Truth in all beings. Many preach Islaam, but
no one practices Peace (Islaam=Peace!) or recognizes the brotherhood of man
taught by the Master. Many preach Christianity, but no one practices selfless
Love, forgiveness and charity. Many preach Buddhism without giving up desires
and cruelty. Many preach Hinduism, but no one realizes the same One Self in
all. Thus, the preaching has become mundane business or livelihood to the priest-class,
while the practice of religion has vanished. Since they think, speak and act
in error (egoism), their preaching have no positive effect on their listeners.
Preachers and their audience both are being ruined.

ਓਨਾ ਦਾ ਆਖਿਆ ਕੋ ਨ ਸੁਣੈ ਨਿਤ ਹਉਲੇ ਹਉਲਿ ਮਰਾਹੀ ॥:
Onaa daa aakhiaa ko na sunai nit houle houli maraahee: No one hears what they
(those who are in error) have to say; they live in constant fear and terror,
until they finally die (sggs 308).

Because of this human error in religions, as history reports to us, religions
have committed the greatest sins in the name of religion and God. They have
misguided mankind, thus failed in their Universal mission of unifying man in
Love. Instead of proclaiming the Truth of our Oneness, they propagate and emphasize
the nonessentials — preaching wrong, changing factors of names and forms. Consequently,
religions have brought about a great pain and suffering on the earth.

Frustrated with the nonessentials ("error") in religions, many convert
to other organized religions. This is not the solution. Because other religions
are also plagued by the same human "error"! Thus, there is nothing
to be gained by changing one's external religion. Therefore, instead of converting
to other religion, help the human-family by eradicate "error" from
your own external religion, otherwise religion will never become what it's meant
to be. Until all religions have become what religion is meant to be, the plight
of global-mankind will be hatred, bigotry, prejudices, conflicts, wars, differences,
disunity, chaos, destruction and disharmony.

As a matter of fact, there is only one Religion of Truth (True Religion or
Dharma), which nobody can change! Because It's the Essence of man's very
Being. But, due to the rise of ego illusion, this Divine Essence lies dormant
within and waits to be awakened by the Jeeva (individual being). You
see, by changing your external religion all you are doing is changing the name
and form. That's all! But, according to all the true Masters and the true scriptures,
this consciousness of "names" and "forms" — or time and
space — is the man's real trouble to begin with! Thus, there is nothing anew
to be gained by changing one's external religion. One must change within, and
awaken his True Religion lying dormant deep within his bosom. Nobody can do
it for you. You have to do it yourself. All man-made religions are the expression
of this one Religion of Truth. Hence the key is true understanding.

ਏਕੋ ਧਰਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜੈ ਸਚੁ ਕੋਈ ...: Eko Dharam
drirhai sabh koee...: There is only one Religion of Dharma or Truth; let everyone
grasp this truth....Humble being imbued with the sublime Essence of God is
certified and approved (sggs 1188).

Therefore, the appropriate course seems to be to stay in one's own religion,
faith, mode of worship, method of meditation or philosophy. But go beyond its
nonessentials. Stick to the Truth only and realize Spiritual Nature within.
Because, the Self-realization is not produced by any religion, but by one's
own self-efforts in Truth. As mentioned earlier, until all religions have become
what religion is meant to be, the future of global-mankind will be hatred, bigotry,
prejudices, conflicts, wars, differences, disunity, chaos, destruction and disharmony.

The religions must admit folly of their past mistakes and learn from them.
They must mend their ways and abandon the path of error so the past mistakes
are not repeated again. They must recognize their roles as unifiers not dividers.
They must fulfill their true mission to raise the human spirit towards his Essential
Divine Nature which is free of error, so that the entire mankind can become
filled with godly attributes of Love, truthfulness, righteousness, selflessness,
compassion, contentment, mercy, light, wisdom, knowledge, forgiveness, bliss,
kindness, service, unity, understanding, humility, purity and with everything
that is holy, beautiful and sanctifying. The way to eradicate error is, by becoming
a Spiritual being, meditate on the Divine Word. This is religion.